Bengali film actor held in fake currency racket

Mumbai: A Bengali film actor, who was suspected to be a part of the international fake currency racket, has been arrested from West Bengal, police said on Wednesday. Babloo Shaikh had been arrested from Malda of West Bengal on Tuesday, a crime branch official said. Shaikh, who hails from West Bengal, was on Wednesday produced before a local court which remanded him to police custody till Thursday.

On October 4, the crime branch officials had arrested three Bangladeshi nationals - Aalam Rafique Shaikh (35), Rajib Aefejur Faquir (20) and the actor's wife Papiya Shaikh (26) - busting the gang involved in circulating fake currency, brought to India from their country, police said. Indian fake notes with a face value of 8.10 lakh - in the denomination of 1,000 and 500 - were recovered from them.

Shaikh, who hails from West Bengal, was on Wednesday produced before a local court which remanded him to police custody till Thursday.

During the probe, their gang member Abdul Sattar Akbar (22) was arrested from Bangalore on October 12, police added. However, Babloo remained untraceable, police said, adding, acting on a tip off, a trap was laid and the accused wasnabbed from Malda. Babloo wanted to make a quick buck because of which hewas involved in the gang, police said, adding, "He married a Bangladeshi, who is yet to complete formalities to become an Indian national."